The Los Angeles Kings knew they were going to need a superhuman effort from at least one player to stave off elimination last night in San Jose.

Goaltender Jonathan Quick answered the call.

Staked to a three-goal lead in the first period, Quick did everything he could to make the lead stand up en route to 51 saves in a 3-1 win in Game 5 of the Kings’ Western Conference quarterfinal series with the Sharks. For his efforts, Quick is the TheBruinsBlog.net Star of the Night.

Quick insisted his teammates played a large role in helping him set a club playoff record for saves Saturday because they limited the Sharks to mostly perimeter shots. That was true to an extent. And they gave him some security in the form of first-period goals by Wayne Simmonds, Kyle Clifford and — yes — Dustin Penner on their first four shots at Antti Niemi.

But the Kings would not have prolonged their playoff series to a sixth game, set for 7 p.m. Monday at Staples Center, if not for Quick’s calm in the face of 19 shots in the first period and 18 in the third. The 15-shot middle period was a vacation by comparison.

Whether his teammates helped him out or not, Quick should hope he gets more support when its time to prevent elimination again in Game 6.

Ahh, Jonathan Quick… another proud product of New England youth hockey and Hockey East. I saw him make a couple of ridiculous saves last night, one in particular that stuck with me as he came out of the crease to his left and made a crazy Butterfly stop. Kid’s got talent.

Give the Sharks an excuse and they’ll run with it. I’d love to see this series with Kopitar playing in it. It’s nice to see the B’s get some of that Hab luck. Shinpads, Right handed glove saves and the bounces. Two loose pucks and two empty nets. You knew a shot that Price or Thomas could see wasn’t going in. Thank you Hockey Gods.

The LA/SJ has been an up n down series got a good feeling that the Kings are going to make this series go back to San Jose for 7.

It’s why the NHL playoffs are so great LA was expected to fold but they grinded it out. Somehow I thing the Sharks goaltending is going to breakdown with Quick getting confidence going the other way +.